[light music]
- Father Tony Birdsall: Door County has so much to offer
in its waters and shorelines.
But also the uniqueness of the different types
of agriculture.
I'm proud to say I'm a Door County native, a farm boy.
I love nature.
I love the farm.
But I also loved the Lord, also.
I am Father Tony Birdsall,
Catholic priest, and Diocese of Green Bay.
The Bishop saw fit to move me
to Corpus Christi in Sturgeon Bay,
close to the parish
that I was born and raised and baptized.
So special.
And at 74, I decided to retire.
So, you add all these years up.
Yes, I'm 85.
That's where I'm at.
[playful instrumental]
Last name of Birdsall and I love birds.
So, it's birds and all, and you have it.
That's it. [laughs]
And, of course, I saw fit
to name my little place here
as The Chicken Chapel.
A chapel is a place to honor and pray to God.
And I go over there and enjoy myself,
and here or there, maybe say a little prayer also.
Breakfast for tomorrow morning.
[rooster crows]
There's a vast difference between the breeds of chickens.
This would be a Black Wyandotte.
See, they're quite docile.
As you'll notice, I can hold them.
There isn't much fighting.
The light Sussex, they get underneath your feet
and do not seem to fear mankind very much.
A very good bird.
He was hatched this last January
and will be my breeding male for this coming year.
I love the Australorps.
I have a very good strain, I think, of Australorps.
I have won many prizes with them.
This past year, I had over 50 from my barn
at the county fair. [rooster crows]
All you have to do is look
at a perfect feathered chicken
and there's something of great beauty there.
From a tea kettle, to cookie jars, to pictures.
If there's any chicken paraphernalia
that I haven't got, it isn't much
because I have a lot of it.
I did not purchase a single thing.
What can they get Father Tony?
Well, give him something that reminds him of chickens
and he's always a happy man.
Thank you. [laughs]